defer to
phrasal verb
deferred to; deferring to; defers to
1
: to allow (someone else) to decide or choose something
You have more experience with this, so I'm going to defer to you.
deferring to the experts
2
defer to (something)
: to agree to follow (someone else's decision, a tradition, etc.)
The court defers to precedent in cases like these.
He deferred to his parents' wishes.
Examples of defer to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the Noriega case, the courts deferred to the executive branch.
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
In dissent, the three liberal justices said the court should stand aside for now and defer to district judges.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Kering’s call option to acquire Mayhoola’s stake in 2028 is also deferred to 2029.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 16 Dec. 2025
The ruling underscores a judiciary increasingly willing to defer to military judgment, even as critics have warned that the policy could dismantle longstanding careers and have contested the need for such a ban.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
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Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
In dissent, the three liberal justices said the court should stand aside for now and defer to district judges.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Kering’s call option to acquire Mayhoola’s stake in 2028 is also deferred to 2029.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 16 Dec. 2025
The ruling underscores a judiciary increasingly willing to defer to military judgment, even as critics have warned that the policy could dismantle longstanding careers and have contested the need for such a ban.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer to
Cite this Entry
“Defer to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defer%20to. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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